Waymo launches public education campaign on self-driving cars

Alphabet’s self-driving car unit- Waymo is launching a public education campaign- “Let’s Talk Self-Driving” aimed at addressing the doubts people have about autonomous technology.

“There is a lot to talk about when it comes to self-driving cars. As with any new technology, there’s great enthusiasm and curiosity about self-driving cars — and there’s some confusion, too,” Waymo CEO John Krafcik says in a blog post announcing the campaign. “That’s why we’re joining forces with a diverse group of organizations — Mothers Against Drunk Driving, the National Safety Council, the Foundation for Blind Children, the East Valley Partnership, and the Foundation for Senior Living — to launch the world’s first public education campaign for fully self-driving cars.”

The campaign will include both digital and outdoor advertising, with an initial focus on Arizona, where Waymo is currently testing its autonomous ride-hailing service in a limited pilot. The plan is to eventually expand this into a national program, with exposure to Waymo’s self-driving tech for the general public.

The company says the campaign is intended as a response to US transportation secretary Elaine Chao’s call for the industry to “step up” and engage with the public on this technology. MADD National President Colleen Sheehey-Church notes in a statement that self-driving could “completely eliminate drunk driving and other causes of traffic deaths,” while the NSC says that “automation holds incredible promise” but that “Americans will need to understand what self-driving vehicles can and can’t do.”